Melissa N. Engle

Melissa N. Engle is an associate of White and Bright and rated AV® Preeminent™ through Martindale-Hubbell. She focuses her practice on business, employment and general civil litigation.

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

Ms. Engle received her B.A. in history from the University of California, Los Angeles and earned her J.D. from California Western School of Law. While in law school, Ms. Engle co-founded the CWSL Intellectual Property, Technology & Telecommunications Clinic and received the Andrea Johnson Telecommunications award.

Ms. Engle also represents various small businesses in transactional matters such as business entity formation, commercial leases, independent contractor contracts, employment contracts, vendor and customer contracts, licenses, intellectual property protection and licensing, as well as general counsel representation as needed.

In particular, Ms. Engle advocates and urges each of her clients to undertake preventative legal services in order to avoid potential legal disputes before they happen. Ms. Engle is passionate about educating her clients on how to avoid lawsuits, attorneys’ fees, costs, stress, wasted time and uncertainty that comes with litigation. This includes assisting small businesses with their business formation, vendor contracts, licenses, employment policies, handbooks, management training and human resources development.

Prior to White and Bright, Ms. Engle was an associate at two boutique San Diego litigation firms where her practice focused on civil litigation, with an emphasis on employment, intellectual property and business matters. Ms. Engle started her legal career focused on personal injury lawsuits as well as both personal and business reorganizations through chapter 7 and chapter 13 bankruptcies. Ms. Engle also litigated various adversary proceedings on behalf of creditors.

PUBLICATIONS & SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

Avoiding Practice Management Pitfalls for Solos and Small Firms – December 2015

How to Protect Your Brand Using Trademarks – August 2015

Corporate Transactional Ethical Responsibilities – June 2014

REPRESENTATIVE CASES

Judgment for $13.8 million representing a small film production company in a lawsuit for fraud and breach of contract against its former investors.

Judgment for $2.7 million against a former business partner in a cross-complaint alleging fraud, amongst other claims.

Defense judgment for a Texas-based technology company in a lawsuit brought by a former vendor, alleging breach of contract, fraud, and failure to supervise employees.

Defense judgment for employee by a previous customer alleging breach of contract, unfair competition and intentional interference with contract.

PERSONAL

Aside from her legal practice, Ms. Engle also serves as an adjunct professor at University of San Diego where she teaches Intellectual Property Law, Legal Research, Computers for the Legal Field and Civil Litigation, among other courses.

Ms. Engle lives in San Diego with her husband, a fellow employment law attorney and their dog, Ted.